Condiment holder



Sept. 13, 1938. L. HEEBNER CONDIMENT HOLDER Filed June 14, 1937 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CONDIMENT HOLDER Lawrence Heebner, Reading, Pa.

Application June 14, 1957, Serial No. 148,214

1 Claim.

This invention relates to condiment holders, and its general object is to provide a holder that includes at least two separate compartments, one for containing salt and the other pepper, with perforated caps for closing the compartments, as well as valve means for alternately covering or closing the perforations, so that either condiment can be individually dispensed from the holder, and the valve means can be easily actuated for the purpose set forth.

A further object is to provide a condiment holder of the character referred to, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efficient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the condiment holder which forms the subject matter of the present invention, with the Valve means disposed to close the perforations of the cap of one compartment, in full lines, and to close the perforations of the cap of the other compartment in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the holder.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the holder with the valve means removed.

Figure 6 is a side view of the valve means detached from the holder.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral i indicates the body of my holder which as shown is of substantially oval shape in outline, and includes an enlarged lower portion tapered inwardly as at 2, toward the bottom 3, which has formed thereon and depending therefrom a bead 4 about the outer edge thereof, to provide the base for the holder.

From the enlarged lower portion, the body is curved inwardly and thence merges into neck portions 5 of the respective compartments 6 and 1 that are provided by a partition 8 rising centrally from the bottom, and which merges at its upper end into a web 9 between the neck portions, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

It will be noted that the web 9 from its juncture with the partition 8, is outwardly inclined upon opposite sides thereof, as at H! for directing the contents of the compartments to the outer ends of the necks 5 thereof, and the outer end portions of the necks are exteriorly threaded for the purpose of threadedly receiving caps H for closing the same, the caps being provided with perforations l2 and the perforations of one cap are larger than those of the other, it being obvious that the cap having the larger perforations is for the neck of the compartment for containing salt and which is indicated by the reference numeral 1, while the other cap is for the neck of the compartment for containing pepper and which is indicated by the reference numeral 6.

Formed on and rising centrally from the web 9 for disposal between the mouth portions of the necks 5 is a lug [3 having a bore extending longitudinally adjacent the upper end thereof to act as a bearing for a pivot pin I l for the valve member of my holder, which includes a central straight portion I5 having apertured ears l6 depending from the ends thereof and mounted on the pivot pin M as clearly shown in Figure 4. Formed on and extending from opposite sides of the central straight portion l5, are disk shaped flaps I! that are substantially of the same diameter as the caps II and it will be noted that the flaps I! are disposed at an upward angle or inclination from the straight portion, so that when one flap is disposed upon its cap to close the perforations thereof, the other is elevated above its cap to allow for the free passage of the condiment through the perforations thereof, therefore it will be obvious that the flaps act as valve means for controlling the dispensing of the condiments from the compartments, and either is held in closed position by the thumb of the user during the use of the holder in dispensing the contents therefrom.

It will be noted that the body together with the neck portions thereof, partition, web and lug are shown as being formed into a single unit, preferably from glass, but they may be made from any material suitable for the purpose and connected together in any suitable manner, and the caps and valve means are made from any suitable material.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A condiment holder comprising a hollow body of substantially oval outline, and including an enlarged lower portion and a bottom, a supporting bead depending from the bottom, said body being curved inwardly from the lower portion for restricting the same between its ends, a partition dividing the body into equal compartments, a neck for each compartment and formed on and rising from the inwardly curved portion of the body at opposed outward inclinations with respect to each other, a perforated closure for each neck, said partition being enlarged at its upper end to provide a web forming the inner portions of the walls of the necks, a bearing lug rising from the web between the necks, valve means including a straight central portion, apertured ears depending from the opposite ends of the central portion and pivotally secured to the lug, and opposed flaps of equal diameter formed on the central portion and extending at an upward angle therefrom for alternately engaging the closures for controlling the perforations thereof accordingly.

7 LAWRENCE HEEBNER. 

